Once again our suject-matter-expert, Phil Mattews, has produced a marvellous account of one of the least-known instructors from the WW-2 era. There are numerous myths about the activities og “GT”, Phil has published only the documented fact.

Phil presented a lecture about the career of Grant-Taylor, and demonstration of G T teachiques at our annual International Combatives Seminar. It was very well recieved, and is the basis for the complete article below. 

This is a significant contribution to the history of combatives and I’m delighted to publish it here as a World first. Thanks Phil, Den.

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Leonard Hector Grant-Taylor By Phil Matthews

[Leonard Hector Grant-Taylor - Copyright IWM]
“Situations will arise which are not of your own choosing.
 You must be fully prepared to meet them with confidence.
 No matter what they may be…” Leonard Hector Grant-Taylor   -    1942

Introduction

Training evolves, as a result of this both tactics and training doctrine change. The hard won lessons of the past are often forgotten or overlooked. Often I’ve found that the same fate befalls those Instructors who imparted those same lessons.

As a fact we now know that there were a number of what we would term ‘Combatives’ Instructors involved in training Allied troops during  World War Two.

There are well known Instructors such as Sykes, Applegate and Fairbairn, there are also relatively unknown ones such as Hipkiss, Jones and Morrah.

Another category exists which is that of the lesser known Instructors, persons who are known by name but of whom little else is known other than the fact that they instructed.

Stanley Bissell, George De Relwyskow and Bill Pilkington are but a few of these “lesser known” Instructor’s, I hope my earlier works on them have helped educate readers about their lives and combative methods.

Here in this article we shall begin to explore some information on another of the lesser known instructors of World War Two, a man by the name of Leonard Hector Grant-Taylor. An Instructor whose name is known to us but little else, an Instructor who is known to have taught – an Instructor from WW2 of whom little else is known.

It is only a beginning, I keep reminding the reader in each of my articles that none of my works are ever considered “finished” and I have my own reasons for not adding more. The reasons for this are my own, second parts of my articles are always ready. I always have proof to show that of which I write…

One point I feel must be emphasised: I firmly believe the astute reader will note that some of Grant-Taylor’s thoughts on training can and will apply to their own training today.

In my honest opinion there is ‘nothing new under the sun’, that said the knowledge of both person and lessons learned can be passed on again right now.

Here then is my present from the past to you all, to coin a politically incorrect term – Merry Christmas to you all! Phil M (c) – thebristolbloke 2006

Origins

Leonard Hector Grant-Taylor was born in Banffshire, Scotland on the 25th of September 1891. The son of wealthy parents living in the latter days of Queen Victoria’s reign he was brought up with the traditions of Britishness and an Empire at its peak. Little is known of his preparatory schooling but it is known that his family were all practising Catholics and as such he attended Mount Saint Mary’s School aged eleven.
 

[Mount Saint Mary's School]
Founded in 1842 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) it still exists and is set in a very rugged landscape on the borders of the counties of Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Discipline, Religion and “British values” were the main subjects of the time; these were taught alongside the normal classical Private School education. As a boarding pupil Grant-Taylor learned the classics such as Latin and ancient Greek, the “modern sciences” such as history, mathematics, chemistry and English literature. As befitted a pupil of his time and station he was also taught how to sketch, to Box, play Rugby, Cricket and how to ride a horse. All of the subjects being those deemed “suitable for an Englishman’s education” of the period. It has to be mentioned that at that time “Playing the game” and “Keeping a stiff upper lip” were value’s to be lived by and not mere words to be given lip-service. (Note – British Subjects in the British Empire – Better men from better schooling. For further reading it is suggested the reader buy “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” a contemporary look at Boarding Schools of the period. Other sources for more information are the original “Scouting for Boys” by Baden-Powell)

After completing his studies Grant-Taylor immediately took and passed his entrance exams to Cambridge University, then (as now) seen as being one of the top two Universities’ in the United Kingdom.

While studying for his degree he was also a member of the University Officer Training Corp. and rose to the rank of Sergeant Instructor before leaving. The “Great War” had been going on for just over a year, immediately after gaining his BA in “Modern History and English Literature” he did what many other patriotic young men of his era had done and volunteered for Army service.

[Off To The Trenches - Copyright IWM]

It was late in the year 1915 and Grant-Taylor was only 23 years of age.
World War One and the Soldier Years

After leaving Cambridge Grant-Taylor was a newly commissioned Officer Recruit in the British Army, as such he spent the latter part of 1916 and the majority of 1917 involved in his training which was conducted in both Britain and France.

Grant-Taylor attended such courses as the “Brigade of Guards School of Instruction”, “Topography, Map Reading and Field Sketching course”, the “Senior Officers Camouflage Course” and “Senior Officer Bombing Course”.

The majority of these courses were developed as a result of hard learned lessons already discovered from the way the War was being fought.

Long Entrenchments, Barbed Wire Entanglements, Mass Bombardments and the necessity of Trench Raids had changed immeasurably the face of what was termed “Modern Warfare”. For probably the first time in over a century the program of Instruction for British Officers was being given in terms of what “was needed now” rather than what “was traditionally accepted as necessary”.

The incorporation of the Machine Gun, Mass Artillery and Poison Gas had brought about the withdrawal of the mass Cavalry and Infantry charges through annihilation. 

After many costly mistakes (measured in hundreds of thousands of lives) the High Command realised that Trench warfare had brought many changes to a modern Army’s method of warfare.

Incorporating these lessons new Officers were taught more practical subjects, in so doing it could be (and has been) argued that these lessons were not only smoothing the way for future involvements but also saving lives in the process.

Amongst other ‘more usual training’ Grant-Taylor was sent to training in schools of “Instructor Marksmanship”, “Revolver” School, “Physical Training and Bayonet Fighting” and the “Commandant School Of Instruction”. Tradition still led but for now the Empiricist’s had a more level field than the dead of Eton and Rugby had held.

“Time on the field” now meant less than “Time in the field” – attrition had seen to this. Here were the best lessons learned, here also was Grant-Taylor’s own instruction best learned. This I will leave for the second part however, why should I upset the status quo?

Most of Grant-Taylor’s time was spent in training lessons for “Training Platoons and Divisions in Offensive Action”, of the former he spent the majority of his time in England – of the latter he spent some time in France. If anyone reads of any reports of the Raiding Party’s of either side, Sniper Teams or the origin of the Storm Troopers they will understand only too clearly how the “Rules of Warfare” had changed forever.  He trained and was trained himself.

[World War One Poster showing British Army Physical Training of the time - Swedish Drill, Self Defence and Rifle Exercises.]

[Bayonet Training]

[WW1 British Army Issue Webley .455 Revolver]
The British Army still held to its earlier influences of Kitchener and Hague when it came to field exercises and actual engagements however…

Luckily for Grant-Taylor the establishment always had a knack for finding square holes to put round pegs in. The majority of his class-mates may have died under intense barrages but he was sent to spend four years spent as a Regimental Adjutant in India (during which time he learnt to speak Urdu and French).

The Interwar years

After leaving the Army Grant-Taylor was “an educated man of private means”, one might have thought that this would have entitled him to a much earned rest!

After serving in India he decided to spend a year with the 1st Cadet Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (London) as a Volunteer instructor. This also included a tour of France where he instructed French troops and Cadets in British Drill, Rifle, Pistol and Bayonet methods.

There is a note about him being awarded the “Croix de Guerre” for this service but this is still to be proven (to my satisfaction!).

Afterwards he spent two periods of some years with the Home Office firstly as a Lecturer in English Literature and the later in Economic History.

In between working however he did what most fiscally endowed single men of the time did and travelled extensively throughout Europe. The 1920’s were a period of hope and renewal, the dark days of the war a time to be overcome and forgotten.

It was during this time he met and married a lady by the name of “E. Rix”, after their honeymoon they bought a property and settled in Richmond, Surrey. I’ve not been able to find out more about his wife other than her maiden name, if anyone could help me out I’d very much appreciate it.

The brilliant hope and optimism of the 1920’s was replaced by the glaring realities of bankruptcy, mass un-employment and soup kitchen queues that marked much of the 1930’s. A period known as “The Depression” lasted almost a decade and brought the working populations of entire countries almost to their knees.

As the depression deepened Social Services Centres were hubs of activity in the United Kingdom through them were provided the dole (welfare handouts for the unemployed), food handouts, job clubs and meeting centres. In a move characteristic of the man Grant-Taylor taught Physical Training for free in these centres to some of the massive numbers of unemployed persons.

Grant-Taylor had learned to box at school and was taught Army Physical Training methods on his courses in World War One but even in his thirties and forties he still kept in shape. He was still playing Cricket at County level in his late forties but was also a keen chess player. He was also always very much a keen revolver and pistol shooter, a true man of his time.

It was certainly going to help in the coming years.

The depression had led to mass resentment worldwide and this allowed for the rise of extreme Political parties in some countries.

The myth of an “Aryan Superman” gave rise to the reality of pogrom and genocide. A reality of aggressive expansionism became a myth termed the “Third Empire”.

This went on for a while, with country after country being invaded. The worlds Politicians held meetings while treaties were broke, lands were invaded, occupied and their peoples massacred.

One small island named Britain decided it could not countenance this anymore, as before it was on its own to begin with.

World War had come again.

The Second World War

As is usual in Britain Call-Up (the Draft) came late. The war which had began in 1939 had been expected to be over “by Christmas” by the establishment, expected to be fought by professional armies it was almost a re-enactment of what had happened in the starting days of World War One all over again.

Unfortunately the Nazi horde had much practice in “Blitzkrieg” tactics in Nationalist Spain during the 1930’s, these same techniques served them well from Poland to the Low Countries of Neutral Holland and Belgium and also to most of France.

The miracle of Dunkirk was just that – a miracle.

I have interviewed many Auxilliers and Commando’s who tried but were initially barred from joining the services, purely because of their age and the establishments thought that “it’ll all be over soon”.

Constant rejection and “knocking on doors” soon became tiring, for even those who had friends in the “old boy’s network” were turned down.

These were persons with front-line soldiering experience and who were eager to offer their services to King and Country once again, still they were turned down.

It wasn’t until the majority of Western Europe had been conquered and Britain stood alone and in danger of being invaded that the Call-Up was announced. Some exceptions made for those who were officially deemed “too old to fight” but who were proven “useful for training and special operations”.
 
In late 1940 Grant-Taylor was finally accepted for Armed Service again and went through his recall medical. At age 48 he wrote his previous occupation as being a “Schoolmaster”; he was listed as being in “Medical Category A1″.

His first commission was as a Sergeant in the Pioneer Corps of the 8th Queens Own West Kent Rifle Regiment, swiftly though he became Lieutenant due to his previous experience and training.

He had friends in the “Old Boy network” though, whether he knew it or not.

With a letter of recommendation to an Officer already in Special Operations it was only a few months (at age 49) that he was commissioned into SOE. Going through the more stringent tests for the second time he again was listed as having achieved A1 fitness by SOE’s medical board.

Without knowing where he might be posted (Occupied Europe etc) in his interview notes he listed his aptitude as being that of an “Instructor”.

Duly he was posted as “Lieutenant, Adjutant and Quartermaster” to S.T.S 22 which was one of the Paramilitary Schools based in Rhubana Lodge in Morar, Scotland. 

Trust the establishment to find a square hole again…

There is no doubt in my mind that this was the place Grant-Taylor proved his worth as an instructor rather than an quartermaster, because less than six months later (22.8.41) he was told that he was going to be posted abroad as an Instructor. 

He left the United Kingdom for the Middle East exactly one week later.

SOE and the Middle East

SOE had missions throughout the Allied countries, some for training, some for information gathering and dissemination. Not only based in Allied countries a number were also stationed in Neutral countries or Empire colonies as their Section D predecessors were. Grant-Taylor was part of an SOE mission to be based in the town of Haifa which was in the then state of Palestine.

The mission statement as given to Grant-Taylor was to act as an Instructor and Adjutant, in his own words: 

The purpose of the mission was to establish a special training school (known as S.T.S 102) at Haifa, to teach such subjects as unarmed combat, demolitions, pistol and knife fighting, map reading, etc, etc, and to instruct special parties of Allied troops in these subjects ‘on sound English lines’

On arrival in Palestine however the party found a training school already running, with members of the MEF (Middle Eastern Forces) already providing their own instruction. This was set up by the local MEF commandant Major Cator who wasn’t best pleased to be greeted by the SOE men.

On contacting London they were told to proceed with the mission as planned but in Haifa they were not allowed any part of the instruction or running of the camp. Politics between the MEF and SOE were trying at the best of times; this was another furtherance of that. It is also one of the reasons the PT Corp. devised system of “Tough Tactics” was often the Unarmed Combat system taught to troops in the Middle East rather than the methods espoused by Sykes and Fairbairn.

The then Head of SOE, Brigadier Gubbbins got involved trying to sort out the mess but in his own words Grant-Taylor was “finding his own job” and had begun teaching the Palestine Police Force and the Arab legion.

Some of the men from the SOE mission were recalled to Britain and others were sent to the Cairo mission. A few remained in Palestine but Grant-Taylor was mostly working on his own when he setup his own training school.

He taught at what was officially designated the “Middle East School of Small Arms”, by it’s students however this went under various names such as the “Middle East School of Murder” or more simply “The Killer School”.

[Grant-Taylor (on right) Instructing in the use of the M1928 - Picture Copyright - IWM]

This is the only known photograph of Leonard Hector Grant-Taylor in existence; it’s a propaganda picture and was staged for an army publication.  Its 11:145AM and Grant-Taylor is instructing at the Middle East School in Palestine, he’s on the right instructing a General in the use of the Tommy Gun (or M1928 to our American friends).

SOE was created to aid the system by cutting through the red tape (in effect bucking the system). Unfortunately the “System” didn’t appreciate being “bucked” as was found out by some of its operatives.

He was blocked by the establishment from doing the job he had been assigned to do before he had left Britain, by going ahead and doing it anyway he was fulfilling his orders but the establishment were not pleased.

I am very sure Mount Saint Mary’s School would have been pleased if they had known just how far one of their pupils would struggle against the odds and unfavourable conditions set against him.

Grant-Taylor refused to give in, he would not stop or be beaten – his mindset simply would not countenance failure.

Training Instructor

 Grant-Taylor didn’t just teach at the Middle East School, he also acted as a roving Instructor giving courses wherever he was invited. As his skill and knowledge became known throughout the Middle East Allied Forces he was very much in demand, whenever he could though he also went out on Operations with the very men he’d trained. Not only did this have the combined effect of inspiring more confidence in the trainee’s it also raised the morale of future students.

It also kept him in touch with the fight and he could determine if any modifications needed to be made to his course of instruction by being “at the sharp end” of things.

I ask the reader to keep in mind the fact that he was over 50 years of age at the time and all of the participation strictly voluntary on his part (therefore against the rules).

Though he could not have known it his enemies were only biding their time…

Grant-Taylor went on an operation and was wounded, whilst recovering it was “discovered” that he wasn’t officially listed in the order of battle. This in Military terminology means that officially “he had no right to be there”. Where another might have been awarded medals this was just the opportunity the “establishment” had waited for.  

On the 3rd of February 1943 he was posted as an SOE liaison officer with the War Office, he was also listed as a casualty and he now had the official rank of Captain.

In effect this meant two things, he now had a rank of a temporary Major but also that he was recalled back to SOE Headquarters in London.

It must have seemed like the end of his times in the Middle East missions, SOE had other plans for him however.

A New Start

In recognition of his previous work SOE recommended him to the War Office as a “Travelling Instructor”, as such he toured India and the Middle East extensively to instruct the Allied Armed Forces.

These new pupils included CBI Operatives (closely linked with the OSS and Col Applegate) in India, the Eighth Army were delighted with him and Greek Royalty attempted to “poach” him for their own purposes. Wherever he went he made his mark, he was an operative of the highest class and a fantastic Instructor. He also trained a lot of people during World War Two in the arts he’d made a living from studying.

Examples

The creative force behind this essay was a presentation I gave on a seminar earlier this year; it covered not only Grant-Taylor’s biography but also his techniques and methodology. Comparisons with other common Close Combat methods were also shown via practical demonstration and visual illustrations of historical material. In this article due to reasons of space the techniques, mindset and tactical lessons Grant-Taylor imparted will be kept for a second part and only a general overview shown here.

[Presentation at the Fourth International Combatives Seminar, Sept 2006]

 

Palestinian Coin

Examples from .455: A soldier in one of his lecturers said that he was using a non regulation pistol and as such was having to make his own ammunition (.455) Grant Taylor said “let’s have go out the back”
He fished out a small Palestinian coin with a hole in it and placed it into a Railway sleeper. He stepped back and the range was about 10 yards, then he said “let’s have a look at the gun” Then standing sideways on and firing instantly, he put a bullet straight through the coins hole. Grant-Taylor could shoot. He was something else”.  

[GT used the image of a playing card as his "kill zone" when instructing shooters. This card shows a three-shot group with a H&K P7 in 9mm. Photo by Dennis Martin]

PLAYING CARD: quotes:

First quote

“From 10 yards Grant-Taylor would put 10 bullets through an Ace of Hearts and a playing card remember is only two and a half inches by two and a quarter”

Second quote

“I’ve seen him whip a pistol out of his shoulder holster and then, aiming from the crouch and firing from two yards at a five of hearts pinned to the wall, drill each of the four corner hearts and then the drawing pin through the centre. Five shots in a blur of speed. There was still a bullet left, so he turned the riddled cards sideways on – and shot it in two when there was only the edge to aim at.”

“He restored my belief in cowboys”

The Grant-Taylor Palestinian Police Method

[Palestinian Police Force Badge

[Cover of Grant-Taylor Palestinian Police Manual]

Below are some of the pictures from the manual which further depict the Grant-Taylor method of instruction to the Palestine Police Force.

 

 

[Palestinian Police Manual Correct Grip of Handgun]

“A locked wrist, whole hand squeeze for trigger pulling”, Grant-Taylor’s favourite method of describing this convulsive grip was “To Squeeze the Orange”

[Thompson SMG firing position]

[Firing from cover]

 

THE ROCK CRUSHER
There’s always some debate about this technique and how it was performed, in the World War two context it was of Fairbairn origin, Sykes apparently criticised it as being too “Police Orientated”. In either case here we have Grant-Taylor’s explanation of the “Rock Crusher” technique which was included in the Palestine Police Manual.

[Text reads; "If attacked and you find the opportunity, place the tips of the four fingers of your master hand against the chest of your opponent, just where the ribs join. Press slightly and then bring the heel of your hand as hard as possible onto the chest. This method is dangerous and may burst the chest of a weak opponent, but will always drop even a strong man"]

I hope this clears up some questions on this particular technique.
Grant-Taylor’s Legacy

There a few Books and Training manuals which show the methods taught by Grant-Taylor, some are better known than others but here I was helped not only by friends and other researchers in the game but by also (again) by interviews with veterans. The fact that my hometown is the repository of the Palestine Police Force archives also helped immensely.

One work perhaps is better known than the rest and is entitled the “Close Quarter Battle” Manual of the Palestine Police Force. Known more commonly in our circles as the “Palestine Police Manual” it wasn’t written by Grant-Taylor himself but by one of his students by the name of G.A Broadbridge. This man was a Superintendent of the Palestine Police Force and the work was compiled from notes he took whilst undergoing instruction. It was deemed of such high quality that it was printed and issued as an official manual for the Palestine Police Force, in it showing the majority of the combatives methods Grant-Taylor thought relevant as regards shooting and police defensive tactics.

The small section dealing with Unarmed Combat is more geared towards situations expected to be encountered by a Police Officer however and do’s not reflect Grant-Taylor’s military courses.

Other sources do exist for example at the time of the Kenya crisis John Slim (Commanding Officer of D squadron) had his troops trained in the Grant-Taylor shooting method.

[SAS Troops training in the Grant-Taylor method - Kenya]

Slim was later Commaning Officer of 22 SAS Regiment entirely and once again the Grant-Taylor method found favour again in the military Special Forces. This was also reflected in some of the training material available from that time.

To this day there are still many students and adherents of the Grant-Taylor methods, I will write about some of this later.

Recommendations

In researching Grant-Taylor I was amazed at just how many letters of thanks and recommendations he was given by Commanding Staff and pupils. I include some of them here:

Col Keble recommends him as

“highly qualified and extraordinarily well known as an instructor, particularly in tough killing. Many demands for his services have been made on us”
The then King of Greece wanted Grant-Taylor  to:

“train and command a nucleus of Greek Soldiers for Police Duties in Greece.”

Major Symington 1944

 ”I have heard this Officer Lecture and my morale was strengthened”

He instructed the 8th Army (late 1943 – early 1944) and

“went out to conduct operational “Front line Patrolling” and “Infiltration work” with  them earning their respect in both counts”.

Others include:

Letter of commendation and recommendation from Col Jennings OBE, DG of the Palestine Police Force – 12.6.42

Letter of commendation and recommendation from Lt Col (Shepperd?) commander of the 4th Queens Own Hussars – 27.2.42

My favourite is as follows:

“While Grant-Taylor is held by us I would very much like to send him round quickly to Persia and Baghdad to give his course of lectures to our staff there on close combat. I do not know if you ever heard these lectures, but they are exceedingly good, and especially good for strengthening morale”

Even his enemies had a hard time showing his faults:

January of 1944
 
“Though Grant-Taylor is acknowledged by all as brilliant instructor in revolver assault he has been stormy petrel particularly in Palestine”
Such commendations are very rare for Instructors, more so then but even today. Grant-Taylor had not only done his job but it seems achieved results with honours!

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After word

Although the Palestine Police Force manual is in existence we know that Grant-Taylor didn’t write it – it was a product of lesson notes written by one of the trainee’s who went through his course….despite one “researcher” suggesting otherwise in an email.

Some Palestinian Police Force members remain alive but although I have interviewed them I prefer written records – in this I’m lucky to have the repository of their manuals in my hometown.

Having been trained by friends in the Grant-Taylor method before I knew what it was I consider myself extremely lucky to have experienced the method as it was preserved by former members of the Special Forces. This method is especially held in high regard by our colleagues in places where shooting is still allowed, the ones in Sweden particularly have put a lot of time and effort in training and keeping alive the method.

Acknowledgements and Thanks
(In No Order)

• Paul Gerasimchyk – USA
• Mika Soderman – SWE
• Dennis Martin – UK
• Rickard G – SWE
• Paul Gomez – USA
• David L. Kentner – USA
• Joseph Sullivan (StickFighter) – USA
• Also thanks to Kjetil V, Steve Brown, Joe Svinth, Jon F, Lee M, Si S, Nick E and the many, many others – You know who you are..

And that also includes these guys – I think they know who they are

Endex

As I have already written the creative force behind this essay was a presentation I gave on a seminar earlier this year in the United Kingdom. It was a composition of history, biography and comparison of technique between the Instructor and the other more well known teachers of the time. I’m glad to say it was well received.

I hesitated in actually transforming it into an article. Like many of the Instructors I have written of Leonard Hector Grant-Taylor has for many years been an acknowledged but little known entity in WW2 Combatives.

Why did I hesitate?

It has often been said that “Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery”. This being the case it could also be said that I’ve had more than a few “flatterer’s” in recent years as regards my research.

So why do I do it?

I had many a long talk with friends and colleagues in the game before beginning to put pen to paper in assembling this article.

The reason I have is simply because of the main driving force behind all of my research – to spread the legacy of these otherwise unknown Instructors and to keep alive their history’s, traditions and in some cases technique.  I’m not getting paid to do this. I try to live a quiet life and so unlike some others “fame and fortune” isn’t something I want or am about.

The support and thanks from people all across the globe for my previous works has helped. In particular I want to thank my US mates – also James Farthing from England, Mark Gittins from Wales and Dave McCutcheon from Scotland. It was for people like them that I decided to start writing a number of years ago. The support from these blokes and the many others like him was another of the reasons I decided to continue to write now.

I hope this article will provide many different things for different people, for the Combatives practitioner or researcher I hope this will help fill a gap in your knowledge of a very important member of our “family”.  Look deep and you will find much that is useful in his teachings.

To the “flatterer’s” I hope it will give you an example of what you too could achieve if you spent more of your time researching the subject rather than passing off another’s hard work as your own. There are lessons to be learned here even for you, and you know who you are.

For anyone else who happened to stumble across this article I hope it will provide an educating and entertaining read.

I hope you all took something from it.
Take care, Phil M
Spread the legacy – Keep it alive!

(c) – thebristolbloke 2006

To whom it may concern:

References……. What references?

I can back up everything I have.

What references do you have? Next time I see someone ripping me off this is the first question my solicitor will be asking them. Make sure it isn’t YOU.